Vandal Hearts: The Return of the Flame
by LazzLD
Summary: A working progress with a working title. The companions, two years after the ending sequence of the first game, are suddenly called upon to save both Ishtaria, and the world, once more from destruction which sparks from the coincidental reunion of Sara and Eleni. (I was compelled to write this after seeing the lack of VH fan fic)


_I was made for bigger and brighter things than this, surely? _Sara thought to herself as she rested her chin on her hands and gazed out of the shop window; her face covered in flour. She sighed longingly at the workshop across the cobbled road and allowed her thoughts to take her from the little bakery she stood in to her younger days before age and experience took its toll. 'Sara!' A dumpy, red-faced woman roared from the back, 'Make yourself useful and knead some dough will you?' she suddenly appeared behind Sara, to her surprise.  
'Yes, Magda.' She replied mechanically, went to the kitchen, took a large bowl of dough and went back to the shop front where she placed the large, yellow slab of dough on the work surface behind the shop counter. Sara kneaded the dough slowly and carefully, folding it like 'you would wrap a baby in it's blanket' as instructed by Magda. She sighed longingly as she did so. Suddenly she heard a large explosion from across the road. She turned sharply to see smoke coming from the workshop. 'I'm going out.' Sara called, threw off her powdery apron and flew towards the door.  
'Where do you think you're going?!' Magda roared; her face redder than usual.  
'To see if he's alright.' Sara replied, 'And if I were you I'd watch your tone. For too long you've spoken to me as if I were your maid but don't you forget that if it wasn't for what my companions and I fought for all those years ago you wouldn't have a bakery to order me around in!' Magda stood, stunned at Sara's outburst.  
'Y... you watch your tongue!' Magda's rage faltered as Sara ran as fast as she could to the workshop. She wafted her way through the smoke to find Amon, unconscious and badly injured under a pile of gears and metal scraps. She cradled him in her arms and checked for life signs. Darius entered through the back door; his googles covering his eyes. 'Wha happened here?!' He exclaimed.  
'How on earth should I know?!' Sara's eyes grew wild with rage, 'He's _your _apprentice, _you _should be keeping an eye on him!'  
'He'll be fine.' Darius replied casually, 'All you need to do is mutter a few words, or whatever it is you do, and he'll be fully healed.'  
'It's not like riding a bicycle you know! If a person hasn't used magic in a long time then their power wanes, like a muscle that has not been stretched in years; you can't expect it to be as supple as it once was!'  
'Oh,' Darius pushed his googles up onto his head and rubbed the soot from his face, 'I'm sorry.'  
'Just help me get him home will you?'

By the time Sara reached the modest cottage just outside of town Darius had already placed Amon in the spare room; his haste was a product of a machine he and Amon built for transport. Sara detested the things, but at least for once they had helped her, she thought. Sara went and fetched cloths, ointments and elixirs from her cellar and took them into the plain room Amon laid in. She kneeled by the bed and began to clean his wounds then applied ointments on them; their colours ranging from off-white, sky blue and deep green. She sighed. 'I can't possibly treat you like this, your wounds are too severe for the crude tools I have.' Sara closed her eyes, placed her hands over Amon's wounds and muttered incantations. Each one was covered in a glittering blue light. When she opened her eyes to look she saw that her spells had barely made a difference. Then Amon awoke. 'Amon!'  
'Sara...' He grumbled, 'What happened?'  
'You were hurt in an accident.' She replied softly, 'Try not to move.' She took an elixir from the small dresser next to the bed and gently fed it to him. 'This should ease the pain.'  
'You haven't looked after me like this for a while.' His dry, cracked lips creased to form a weak smile after he had finished sipping. 'Just like old times eh?' Sara laughed softly.  
'Oh, Amon, why do you get yourself into these kinds of messes?'  
'Hey, don't worry about me, it's just part of the job.'  
'Cuts and bruises I can handle, but this...' Sara's eyes began to swell, 'this is beyond my skills now. How am I meant to take care of you when my magic has wained?'  
'You don't have to look after me.' Amon smiled once more, 'I'm f...' he winced and cried out in pain. Sara felt his brow with the back of her pale hand.  
'You're running a fever.' Her tone was grave, 'I fear you may have internal injuries.'  
'Sh... should I be worried?' Amon's voice was strained as he attempted to fight back the throngs of intense pain.  
'No, I'll take care of it.' Sara rose and headed to the door. 'I hate having to do this.' She paused, 'But I have to go to the capital. I'll find better medicines for you there.' She hastily went downstairs and returned with a large bowl of cold soup, a hunk of bread and a jug of water. 'Eat and drink when you can.' She placed a large bottle of elixir with the rest of the things she brought on the dresser beside him, 'And if you're in any pain have some of the elixir but not too much at once, it will make you sick.'  
'When will you be back?'  
'I'll take a carriage into the capital, I shan't be more than a couple of hours. Try to rest now, you'll need your strength.'

The city was still as she remembered it, well before Dolf desecrated it that is, all those years ago. Dolan had done a fine job in ensuring its reconstruction. The houses that were burnt out and half-destroyed stood tall and proud on the busy streets. The broken stones of the cobbled roads were replaced with the remaining bricks of the old buildings as a reminder of the battles fought and the blood lost for the city's freedom. The fountain which stood at the heart of the city was revamped; a statue of Ash stood proudly at its top and surrounding it were stalls selling a multiplicity of items; exotic goods from other lands, lavish cloths and silks, fruits and flowers that perfumed the air, books that ranged from the highly academic to scandalous sensation fiction and of course, what Sara was in need of, healing supplies. She slid her way through the bustling crowd and weaved her way through the stalls until she found the one she was looking for. She picked up a wicker basket and placed herbs, vials, bandages, elixirs and ointments into it. A familiar voice spoke to the trader. Although the person wore a brown, hooded cloak, Sara was easily able to identify the speaker. 'Eleni!' She cried. Eleni turned and looked as Sara, horrified.  
'Oh!' She gasped, 'What are you doing here?'  
'I was getting some things for Amon. He's hurt himself again, really badly this time. What about you?'  
'I,' She stuttered, 'A friend of mine is sick.' Sara looked in her basket. _That's not what a sick person would usually take for an illness _she thought to herself and looked at Eleni suspiciously. Eleni swiftly paid for her items and bid Sara farewell. Although she knew Amon lay injured at home she could not simply let Eleni's strange behavior pass unnoticed and decided to pay Dolan a visit, for he did not live too far from the market, to see if he could shed any light on the situation.

'Sara!' He cried, his face deeply lined with age and the pressures of a statesman, 'Come in, come in!' She entered his lavish home and was taken to the drawing room. The two sat at an oak table, covered in a beautiful, white, linen table cloth. Sara gazed at the walls, decorated with various portraits, revolutionary bills that had been passed and the Ishtarian flag. _Rather strange decor _she thought, _for a drawing room_. A young maid came into the room and placed a tray of tea on the table. She disappeared then returned with a platter of small cakes and biscuits. 'I hope this isn't too little for you.' Dolan said to Sara, 'I wasn't expecting guests you see.'  
'It's fine.' She replied, 'I shan't stay long, Amon is injured and I only came to the capital to get some healing supplies.'  
'Got into a spot of trouble with one of Darius's contraptions again has he?' Sara nodded,  
'That's not why I'm here though.'  
'Oh?'  
'I've come about Eleni.'  
'Well I don't know what I can do for you in regards to her,' Dolan poured them both a cup of tea from the silver tea pot, 'I haven't seen her in nearly two years!' Sara looked puzzled.  
'I thought you and her were in regular contact?'  
'Oh, yes, yes, we were! Then she started ignoring my letters. I would have gone to visit, you see, but my work gives me little time for leisure. You are very lucky to have caught me today.'  
'I saw her earlier.' Dolan's eyes widened.  
'Did you?'  
'Yes. She was also buying healing supplies, said they were for a friend who was sick but those kinds of medicines she bought were not for any normal illness.'  
'No?'  
'No. They were for something of,' She paused, 'a magical nature, at least from what I can remember of my training.'  
'I see.'  
'I'm curious about her. She did not seem pleased to see me at all. I'm worried, Captain Dolan, very worried.'  
'Oh, I wouldn't trouble yourself!' He replied casually, 'You know what writers are like, they all become recluses in the end.'  
'But she was our friend, Captain Dolan, we were all so close.'  
'Who was she buying these items for?'  
'A friend, she said, didn't mention who though.'  
'Maybe it was for her, perhaps?'  
'She did not look unwell.'  
'Hmm.' Dolan chewed on a piece of carrot cake. 'Well I wish I could be of more use but as I said I hardly know the girl now.' Sara took gentle sips from her tea. 'Well.' Dolan said, breaking the long silence that followed after his previous statement, 'I suggest a visit to her home when Amon is well enough. I'll have the address sent to you.' The two continued the rest of their meeting with small talk, but their mood was solemn. Sara left after an hour. Her thoughts of Eleni still whirled uncontrollably in her mind.


End file.
